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W. W. GAGE.

FENCE. No. 336,684. Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

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lUNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICEO VVELLESLEY WV. GAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,634, dated February 23, 1886,

Application filed June 9, 1885. Serial No. 168,180.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WELLEsLEY W. GAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in certain improvements in fences, whereby to effectively support the posts and maintain them in their position in the ground, and to lock the bars and posts together to form a continuous rigid girder, capable, however, of being readily dismembered, the said fence being constructed as hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is aside view of the fence embodying my improvements Fig. 2, a section on the line 1 2, Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4, perspective views illustrating the mode of connecting the bars to the posts; Fig. 5, a sectional view illustrating such connection. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the end post and bar; Fig. 7 a side View of one of the bars or rails; Fgis. 8, 9, 10, and 11, views illustrating modifications.

The posts A of my improved fence consist each of a single plate of cast or wrought metal, preferably the latter, the plate being formed or twisted at a point just below that which is even with the surface of the ground, so that the portion of the plate below the twisted part shall be at right angles to that portion above the said twisted part. By this means the edge only of each post is presented to the wind coming toward the side ofthe fence, so as to offer as little resistance as possible, while the broad portion of the post below the ground is set to offer as great a resistance as possible to any lateral motion of the post resulting from the action of the wind against the latter and the bars. Each bar consists of aflat-plate, B, having at one end a notch, .22, and at the other a notch, 12, and lip, y, and in each post are openings a for the reception of the bars, each opening being higher or deeper at one side than the other, so as to form an inwardly-projecting lug or lip, c.

In connecting thebars to the post the notched end of one bar is introduced lengthwise into the deepest portion of the opening a, and the bar is then moved laterally, so as to bring the lip e into the notch m, which thus prevents (No model.)

any longitudinal movement of the bar in re spect to the post.

In order to prevent the bar from being moved laterally to disconnect the lug and notch, the lip end of the next bar is introduced into the wider portion of the opening, the bar being brought to an angle, as shown in Fig. 5, to carry the lip 3 through the opening, and then being brought to a horizontal position, when the end of the bar will close the opening, preventing any lateral movement of the adjacent bar, while the notch 11 will receive the edge of the postabove the openinga, which will prevent any longitudinal movement of the bar last introduced, the opposite notched end of which is introduced intothe opening of another post, as shown in Fig. 3, and is then moved laterally, as shown in Fig. 4, to leave room for the introduction of the lip end of another bar, as

before.

By the construction described each bar is made the means of preventing the lateral movement of the adjacent bar, and each bar is lockedsecurely at one end to one of the posts, so that it cannot be moved longitudinally in either direction, while the lip at the opposite end prevents said end from being withdrawn from the opening in the post, the post and bars being thus firmly locked together in one rigid structure, so that the whole constitutes practically a continuous girder, which, however, may be readily separated by reversing the operations above described. As but one bar of each course passes through the terminal posts, the latter should be made with narrow slots, and transverse keys 0 should be passed through the ends of the bars to hold them in place.

The keys 0 may be split at the ends to form spring-fingers to hold them in place, and may be perforated to receive the pintles upon the hinges of the gate.

The lips 3 may be upon the sides of the bars instead of projecting from the upper edges, in which case the bar is brought to an angle at the side of the post, as shown in'Fig. 8, and then is swung round at right angles to the post, as shown in Fig. 9, and there may be two notches a: in the bar, as shown in Fig. 11,in which case the openingais contracted to form two lugs e e, as shown in Fig. 10.

When a picket-fence is required, the upper bars are twisted at the ends so that the body of each bar shall be horizontal, and this portion is perforated to receive the upper ends of the pickets D, the lower end of each of which is reduced to form a stud adapted to a socket, s, in the lower bar, the body of thelatter being bent to an L shape in cross-section, to impart greater rigidity.

To secure the pickets in place each of the same may be tied to the vertical flange of the lower bar by a wire, a, passing through openings t.

\Vhere it is desired to lock the post firmly in the ground to prevent them from being withdrawn vertically,thelower portion of each post may be split, and the two divisions formed by the split may be bent to opposite sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to form anchors w w, which effectually hold the post in place.

To prevent the weakness which results from securing the ends of all the bars that pass through a post to the said post, I use the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, in which one of the bars extends through the post to which the ends of the other bars are connected.

It will be evident that some of the features above described may be used separately from the others.

\Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I c1aiin- 1. The combination, in a fence, ofposts having openings (4, contracted each at one, side, and rails B, each having a notch at one end and a lip at the other, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in afence, of the posts and connecting-bars, the upper bar bent and perforated for the passage of pickets, and the lower bar bent to form horizontal and vertical flanges and perforated to receive studs upon the lower ends of the pickets, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a fence, of slotted posts, and bars provided with notches, and lips fitted in the slots in the posts, some of the bars extending through one opening in a post, and the ends of other bars being connected to the said post, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VVELLESLEY V. GAGE.

Witnesses:

DANIEL E. DELAVAN, J OHN R. DUNN. 

